Project Vote Smart released the 2007 Mississippi National Political Awareness Test (NPAT) results today showing that only 15 percent of the state's primary candidates for State Legislature and 17 percent of the state's primary candidates for Governor were willing to answer questions on the issues that are of top concern to Mississippi voters, such as questions regarding the use of eminent domain for the purpose of private development, the employment of undocumented immigrants, smoking bans in the state, the death penalty, access to health care and the licensing of gun possession.

The National Political Awareness Test asks all candidates one central question: "Are you willing to tell citizens your positions on the issues you will most likely face on their behalf?" It is conducted nationally over the last 12 months of each election season. Mississippi legislative candidates were contacted repeatedly over five weeks and asked by prominent leaders of both major parties and by Project staff, if they were willing to provide their issue inclinations in the public interest.

Since 2000, Project Vote Smart has found that party leaders and consultants are advising candidates not to respond to the NPAT for two primary reasons: it will limit the candidates' ability to control their campaign messages, and it will expose them to opposition research.

The Mississippi Primary NPAT results can be found at: Mississippi 2007 Primary NPAT Results.